Species Leptachirus darwinensis Randall, 2007

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CAAB: 37462052

Species Leptachirus darwinensis Randall, 2007

Tailed Sole

Leptachirus darwinensis Randall, J.E. 2007. Leptachirus, a new soleid fish genus from New Guinea and northern Australia, with descriptions of eight new species. Records of the Western Australian Museum 24(1): 81-108 [90, fig.4].
Type data:
Holotype NTM S.10618-001, East Alligator Riverm 3km upstream from Cahills Crossing, NT [12°27'S, 132°58'E].
Paratype(s) NTM S.10868-001, Cannon Hill Lagoon, East Alligator River, NT [12°24'S, 132°58'E]; NTM S.15583-001, Marrakai Creek, Adelaide River, NT, 3-4m [12°40.71'S, 131°20.09'E]; NTM S.16036-001, Arnhem Highway boat ramp, Adelaide River, NT, 0-0.5m [12°39.42'S, 131°20.18'E]; BPBM 40477, Jim Jim Creek, 100m from Pine Creek Road, South Alligator River, NT [12°57'S, 132°47'E].
Leptachirus polylepis Randall, 2007.
Type data:
Holotype NTM S.14083-007 ♂, Cannon Hill Lagoon, East Alligator River, NT [12°22.0'S, 132°57.2'E].
Paratype(s) BPBM 40461; NTM S.14083-013; NTM S.14476-001; NTM S.14546-001; USNM 387208; WAM P.25895-002; WAM P.32819-001; ZMB 33743.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293 [226]

Miscellaneous Literature Names

Aseraggodes klunzingeri (Weber, 1907) [misidentification]. —
McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part II. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 145–329 [284]
Lake, J.S. 1978. Australian Freshwater Fishes. Melbourne : Thomas Nelson 160 pp. 140 figs. [76]
Allen, G.R. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Neptune, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 240 pp., 63 pls. [210]
Larson, H.K. & Martin, K.C. 1990. Freshwater Fishes of the Northern Territory. Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences Handbook Series Number 1. Darwin : Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences 102 pp. 73 figs. [76]
Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp. [324]
Hoese, D.F. & Bray, D.J. 2006. Soleidae. pp. 1841-1852 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [1843] (in part, eastern records from NT)

Introduction

Randall (2007) treated Australiian material identified as Aseraggodes klunzingeri as belonging to this species and to L. polylepis and L. triramus. He regarded L klunzingeri as of uncertain status from the mouth of the Meruke River in New Guinea. He reported that the holotype was lost. However, the species was based on a specimen and literature records of Klunzinger (1880) as Solea poropterus and Güntherr (1862) as Solea thepassii. As a result several syntypes probably exist, including ZMA 109407 (figured specimen), mouth of Merauke River, Papua New Guinea; SMNS 2521 (also holotype of Achirus rautheri, now placed in the genus Pardachirus), Port Darwin; BMNH 1913.12.15.38-39 (now paratypes of L lonentz), East Indian Archipelago and possibly MNHP 1859-592, identified by Randall (2007) as Leptachirus lorentz. Because the syntypes represent at least two species, a lectotype needs to be selected to resolve the identity of the species. Larson et al. regarded L. polylepis as a junior synonym of L. darwinensis. Tentatively we follow these works and exclude Leptachirus klunzingeri from Australia. Extensive collections are identified as Aseraggodess klunzingeri in Australian museum collections. Few were examined by Randall (2007) and the identity cannot be confirmed for most of these records.